“The positivity that is instilled once you cross that finish line stays with you and spills over into daily life.”

I was initially recruited by friends to join “Tri It For Life” because I was looking for a big fitness goal to keep me motivated. I am constantly telling people that they can do it. I use my own personal story as motivation and proof that it’s possible. It’s fun to see the look on people’s faces when they find out that I was over 300 pounds when I did my first race. For me, the most memorable moment is always having my husband there to hang my medal on me after the race, but this year I also discovered how amazing it feels to pay it forward. I helped an old friend train for her first race, and can’t even begin to describe how awesome it was to see her cross that finish line.

“If I could tell people one thing to motivate them, it’s that the numbers on the scale shouldn’t hold you back. Get out there and find something fun that will keep you going. Weight loss is a just a good side effect to a healthy lifestyle. Be fit, and be happy first.”